Humperdinck was interested in making the story into an opera but since Else Bernstein-Porges initially refused, he opted for the play to be staged as a melodrama – that is with spoken dialogue taking place along with an instrumental backdrop.

In the melodramatic passages, Humperdinck designed an innovative hybrid notation that called for a text delivery somewhere between singing and speech.

Königskinder was first performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York on 28 December 1910, conducted by Alfred Hertz, with Geraldine Farrar as the Goose-Girl, Herman Jadlowker as the King's Son, Louise Homer as the Witch and Otto Goritz as the Fiddler.

"[1] A Berlin premiere followed on 14 January 1911, conducted by Leo Blech with Lola Artôt de Padilla as the Goose-Girl and Walter Kirchhoff as the King's Son.

In 2010, dell'Arte Opera Ensemble gave a performance celebrating the hundredth anniversary of its premiere in New York City.

A production by Christof Loy with Olga Kulchynska (Gänsemagd) and Daniel Behle (Königssohn), conducted by Marc Albrecht, was performed in October 2022 at the Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam.

Twelve geese are milling around, splashing in the pond, nibbling at grass; the Goose-Girl is lying face down and aimlessly kicking the earth.

This character, the King's Son, has left his father's castle and is travelling incognito, disguised as a simple huntsman, in search of adventure.

After much hemming and hawing from the Woodcutter and Broom-maker, the Fiddler explains why they are there: the city fathers, proud of their wealth and affluence, want the wise woman to identify a king to lead them.

The Witch foretells that the first person, be it man or woman, to enter the town gates when the bells toll noon the following day must be their next king.

She tells the grim story of the Goose-Girl's parents: a greedy young lord sought the love of the hangman's daughter.

The Goose-Girl is aghast, but the Fiddler comforts her: he knew her parents, he says, and their love and sufferings made them noble indeed; she is indeed a Königskind, a kingly child.

The King's Son enters, stretching; the Stable-Girl let him sleep in the pigsty last night, and although he is a bit of a mess the Innkeeper's Daughter takes a great liking to him.

He overcomes disappointment and dismay and renews his commitment to a year of wandering and learning, which he hopes will make him a worthy ruler.

While the crowd gathers and the young people dance to music, the King's Son speaks with the Innkeeper and gets a job tending his swine.

The Woodcutter, considerably embellishing the story of his trip to the Witch, announces that their king will enter the town at noon, drawn in a golden chariot.

The Innkeeper's Daughter accuses him of not paying for the food she gave him, everyone starts calling him a thief, and a great melée threatens.

The Innkeeper's little Daughter shoves them away and addresses the Fiddler directly: the children, she says, know he was right and their parents were wrong; the King's Son and the Goose-Girl belong on the throne.

She asks them to lead a search for the royal couple, and he does so, singing a sweet lullaby which is drowned out by the sound of the snow and wind.